"N.Δ." ανακοίνωση

 

Αθήνα, 9 Μαΐου 2022   Από το Γραφείο Τύπου της Νέας Δημοκρατίας εκδόθηκε η ακόλουθη ανακοίνωση: «Σήμερα ο κ. Τσίπρας συνεχίζει την εκστρατεία εξαπάτησης, επισκεπτόμενος τα Χανιά και το Ρέθυμνο. Αν βρει λίγο χρόνο στα διαλείμματα μεταξύ fake news, παροχολογίας και fake υπολογισμών, του προτείνουμε να ρωτήσει τους αγρότες της Κρήτης για τις φοροελαφρύνσεις και τα πακέτα στήριξης με τα οποία η Κυβέρνηση της Νέας Δημοκρατίας παλεύει με κάθε τρόπο να προστατεύσει το εισόδημά τους. Του προτείνουμε, επίσης, να ρωτήσει τους Κρητικούς για τον ΒΟΑΚ. Για τις μελέτες που ΔΕΝ έγιναν επί των ημερών του, για τα χρονοδιαγράμματα που ΔΕΝ είχε, για τις χρηματοδοτήσεις που ΔΕΝ ήταν εξασφαλισμένες. Για όλα αυτά, δηλαδή, που άλλαξαν με την Κυβέρνηση της Νέας Δημοκρατίας. Έτσι ώστε εντός των επόμενων μηνών, όταν ο κ. Τσίπρας ξαναπάει στην Κρήτη, να τον προσκαλέσουμε και στα εγκαίνια των εργοταξίων».

G7 Leaders’ Statement

G7 Leaders’ Statement
MAY 08, 2022

Today, on 8 May, we, the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), alongside Ukraine and the wider global community, commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe and the liberation from fascism and the National Socialist reign of terror, which caused immeasurable destruction, unspeakable horrors and human suffering. We mourn the millions of victims and offer our respect, especially to all those who paid the ultimate price to defeat the National Socialist regime, including the western Allies and the Soviet Union.
Seventy-seven years later, President Putin and his regime now chose to invade Ukraine in an unprovoked war of aggression against a sovereign country. His actions bring shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people. Through its invasion of and actions in Ukraine since 2014, Russia has violated the international rules-based order, particularly the UN Charter, conceived after the Second World War to spare successive generations from the scourge of war.
Today, we were honoured to be joined by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We assured him of our full solidarity and support for Ukraine’s courageous defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its fight for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic future within its internationally recognised borders, with the liberties and freedoms that so many of us enjoy today.
President Zelenskyy underlined the strong resolve of Ukraine to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He stated that Ukraine’s ultimate aim is to ensure full withdrawal of Russia’s military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and to secure its ability to protect itself in the future and thanked G7 members for their support. In this regard, Ukraine emphasised that it relies on its international partners, in particular on G7 members, in providing necessary assistance in the domain of defense capabilities, as well as with a view to ensuring a swift and effective recovery of Ukraine’s economy and to securing its economic and energy security. Ukraine has entered into discussions with international partners on security mechanisms for a viable post-war peace settlement. Ukraine remains committed to working closely with G7 members to support Ukraine’s macroeconomic stability in the face of the challenges posed by the full-scaled Russian invasion, massive destruction of critical infrastructure and disruption of traditional shipping routes for Ukrainian exports. President Zelenskyy noted his country’s commitment to uphold our common democratic values and principles, including respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Today, we, the G7, reassured President Zelenskyy of our continued readiness to undertake further commitments to help Ukraine secure its free and democratic future, such that Ukraine can defend itself now and deter future acts of aggression. To this end, we will pursue our ongoing military and defence assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, continue supporting Ukraine in defending its networks against cyber incidents, and expand our cooperation, including on information security. We will continue to support Ukraine in increasing its economic and energy security.
Together with the international community, we, the G7, have provided and pledged additional support since the start of the war exceeding USD 24 billion for 2022 and beyond, in both financial and material means. In the coming weeks, we will step up our collective short-term financial support to help Ukraine close financing gaps and deliver basic services to its people, while also developing options – working with the Ukrainian authorities and international financial institutions – to support long-term recovery and reconstruction. In this regard, we welcome the establishment of the International Monetary Fund’s Multi-Donor Administered Account for Ukraine and the European Union announcement to develop a Ukraine Solidarity Trust Fund. We support the World Bank Group’s support package to Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s Resilience Package.
We call on all partners to join our support for the Ukrainian people and for refugees, and to help Ukraine to rebuild its future.
We reiterate our condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal military aggression against Ukraine and the indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, which has resulted in terrible humanitarian catastrophe in the heart of Europe. We are appalled by the large-scale loss of human life, assault on human rights, and destruction that Russia’s actions have inflicted on Ukraine.
Under no circumstances can civilians and those not taking an active part in the hostilities be legitimate targets. We will spare no effort to hold President Putin and the architects and accomplices of this aggression, including the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, accountable for their actions in accordance with international law. To this end, we will continue to work together, along with our allies and partners around the world. We reaffirm our support for all efforts to ensure full accountability. We welcome and support the ongoing work to investigate and gather evidence on this, including by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the independent investigation commission mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s mission of experts.
We further condemn Russia’s attempts to replace democratically elected Ukrainian local authorities with illegitimate ones. We will not recognise these acts in violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We will continue to counter the Russian strategy of disinformation, which deliberately manipulates the global – including the Russian – public in the hope of shrouding the Russian regime’s culpability for this war.
Our unprecedented package of coordinated sanctions has already significantly hindered Russia’s war of aggression by limiting access to financial channels and ability to pursue their objectives. These restrictive measures are already having a significant impact on all Russian economic sectors – financial, trade, defence, technology, and energy – and will intensify pressure on Russia over time. We will continue to impose severe and immediate economic costs on President Putin’s regime for this unjustifiable war. We collectively commit to taking the following measures, consistent with our respective legal authorities and processes:

a. First, we commit to phase out our dependency on Russian energy, including by phasing out or banning the import of Russian oil. We will ensure that we do so in a timely and orderly fashion, and in ways that provide time for the world to secure alternative supplies. As we do so, we will work together and with our partners to ensure stable and sustainable global energy supplies and affordable prices for consumers, including by accelerating reduction of our overall reliance on fossil fuels and our transition to clean energy in accordance with our climate objectives.

b. Second, we will take measures to prohibit or otherwise prevent the provision of key services on which Russia depends. This will reinforce Russia’s isolation across all sectors of its economy.

c. Third, we will continue to take action against Russian banks connected to the global economy and systemically critical to the Russian financial system. We have already severely impaired Russia’s ability to finance its war of aggression by targeting its Central Bank and its largest financial institutions.

d. Fourth, we will continue our efforts to fight off the Russian regime’s attempts to spread its propaganda. Respectable private companies should not provide revenue to the Russian regime or to its affiliates feeding the Russian war machine.

e. Fifth, we will continue and elevate our campaign against the financial elites and family members, who support President Putin in his war effort and squander the resources of the Russian people. Consistent with our national authorities, we will impose sanctions on additional individuals.
We continue to work with our international partners and invite them to stand with us and to follow suit with similar actions, including to prevent sanctions evasion, circumvention and backfilling.
President Putin’s war is causing global economic disruptions, impacting the security of global energy supply, fertiliser and food provision, and the functioning of global supply chains in general. The most vulnerable countries are affected most severely. Together with partners globally, we are stepping up our efforts to counter these adverse and harmful impacts of this war.
President Putin’s war against Ukraine is placing global food security under severe strain. Together with the United Nations, we call on Russia to end its blockade and all other activities that further impede Ukrainian food production and exports, in line with its international commitments. Failure to do so will be seen as an attack on feeding the world. We will step up efforts to help Ukraine to keep producing in view of the next harvest season and exporting, including by alternative routes.
In support of the United Nations Global Crises Response Group, we will address the causes and consequences of the global food crisis through a Global Alliance for Food Security, as our joint initiative to ensure momentum and coordination, and other efforts. We will closely cooperate with international partners and organisations beyond the G7, and, with the aim of transforming political commitments into concrete actions as planned by various international initiatives such as the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission (FARM) and key regional outreach initiatives, including towards African and Mediterranean countries. We reiterate that our sanctions packages are carefully targeted so as not to impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance or the trade of agricultural products and reaffirm our commitment to avoid food export restrictions which impact the most vulnerable.
The G7 and Ukraine stand united in this difficult time and in their quest to ensure Ukraine’s democratic, prosperous future. We remain united in our resolve that President Putin must not win his war against Ukraine. We owe it to the memory of all those who fought for freedom in the Second World War, to continue fighting for it today, for the people of Ukraine, Europe and the global community.

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United States and G7 Partners Impose Severe Costs for Putin’s War Against Ukraine MAY 08, 2022

 

FACT SHEET: United States and G7 Partners Impose Severe Costs for Putin’s War Against Ukraine
MAY 08, 2022



President Biden and G7 Leaders Meet with President Zelenskyy to Continue our Efforts to Support Ukraine and Build on our Unprecedented Sanctions and Export Controls

Today, President Biden and G7 Leaders met with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine to reinforce our shared commitment to strengthen Ukraine’s position on the battlefield and at the negotiating table.

Our unprecedented sanctions are already exacting an immense toll on Russia’s economy and our export controls have strangled Russia’s access to critical technology and the supply chains it needs to sustain its military ambitions. Putin’s war is projected to wipe out the last 15 years of economic gains in Russia. As a result of our export controls, Russia is struggling to replenish its military weapons and equipment. Russia’s two major tank plants – Uralvagonzavod Corporation and Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant – have halted work due to lack of foreign components. Almost 1,000 private sector companies have left Russia, and reports indicate that more than 200,000 Russians, many of whom are highly skilled, have fled the country. All of these costs will compound and intensify over time.

Putin has failed in his initial military objective to dominate Ukraine – but he has succeeded in making Russia a global pariah. Today, the United States, the European Union and G7 committed to ratchet up these costs by collectively taking further measures, consistent with each partner’s respective legal authorities and processes.

Targeting State-Controlled Media Within Russia That Bolster Putin’s War. The United States will sanction three of Russia’s most highly-viewed directly or indirectly state-controlled television stations in Russia – Joint Stock Company Channel One Russia, Television Station Russia-1, and Joint Stock Company NTV Broadcasting Company. All three stations have been among the largest recipients of foreign revenue, which feeds back to the Russian State’s revenue.

Banning Services that Help Finance Putin’s War and Aid Sanctions Evasion. The United States will prohibit U.S. persons from providing accounting, trust and corporate formation, and management consulting services to any person in the Russian Federation. These services are key to Russian companies and elites building wealth, thereby generating revenue for Putin’s war machine, and to trying to hide that wealth and evade sanctions. This action builds on previous prohibitions to restrict the export of goods related to aerospace, marine, electronics, technology, and defense and related materiel sectors of the Russian economy.

Cutting off Imports of Russian Oil and Reducing Dependence on Russian Energy. The United States has already banned the import of Russian oil, gas, and coal. Today, the entire G7 committed to phasing out or banning the import of Russian oil. This will hit hard at the main artery of Putin’s economy and deny him the revenue he needs to fund his war. The G7 also committed to work together to ensure stable global energy supplies, while accelerating our efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Impose further export controls and sanctions to degrade Russia’s war efforts. The United States will issue a new rule that imposes additional restrictions on Russia’s industrial sector, including a broad range of inputs and products including wood products, industrial engines, boilers, motors, fans, and ventilation equipment, bulldozers, and many other items with industrial and commercial applications. These new controls will further limit Russia’s access to items and revenue that could support its military capabilities. The United States also sanctioned Limited Liability Company Promtekhnologiya, which produces rifles and other weapons that have been used in military operations in Ukraine; seven shipping companies, which own or operate 69 vessels; and one marine towing company. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will also suspend general licenses for exports of source material, special nuclear material, byproduct material, and deuterium to Russia.

Impose Sanctions on Russian Elites and their Family Members and Visa Restrictions on Russian and Belarusian Officials Undermining the Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity, or Political Independence of Ukraine. The United States imposed approximately 2,600 visa restrictions on Russian and Belarusian officials in response to their ongoing efforts to undermine the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of Ukraine. Additionally, the United States issued a new visa restriction policy that applies to Russian Federation military officials and Russia-backed or Russia-installed purported authorities who are believed to have been involved in human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, or public corruption in Ukraine. The United States also sanctioned eight executives from Sberbank– the largest financial institution in Russia and uniquely important to the Russian economy, holding about a third of all bank assets in Russia; twenty-seven executives from Gazprombank – a prominent Russian bank facilitating business by Russia’s Gazprom, one of the largest natural gas exporters in the world; and Moscow Industrial Bank and its ten subsidiaries.

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THE WHITE HOUSE's latest:Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on the U.S. and G7 Actions to Impose Additional Severe Costs for Putin’s War Against Ukraine

Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on the U.S. and G7 Actions to Impose Additional Severe Costs for Putin’s War Against Ukraine
MAY 08, 2022

Via Teleconference

7:21 A.M. EDT

MODERATOR: Thank you. And thanks everyone for joining us. I know it’s pretty early on a Sunday morning.

So we’re going to turn it over to [senior administration official] who is going to be our speaker for your awareness.

But this call is on background, and it’s attributable to a “senior administration official.” The contents of this call are going to be embargoed until 12:00 p.m. today.

So with that, I’m going to turn it over to [senior administration official] to give some remarks, and then we’ll take some questions.

Over to you, [senior administration official].

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, [moderator]. Good morning. Thanks, everybody, as well for joining early. And Happy Mother’s Day.

Our sanctions design from the start has been predicated on applying economic pressure where we have an asymmetric advantage, where we and our allies produce something Russia needs and can’t easily get from anywhere else. And in doing so, we strengthen Ukraine’s position on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. That was the premise for cutting off Russia from the leading financial centers of the world — New York, London, Tokyo, Switzerland, Singapore. The oxygen of any market-based economy is financial capital, and that’s been deprived for — that’s been taken away from Russia.

That’s why we’ve denied critical technology inputs and investment capital Putin needs to replenish his weaponry and diversify growth away from just oil and gas. That’s why we’ve denied access to critical markets that Putin needs to sell his goods. No export is more important to Putin than oil; it’s the main artery of his economy. And the EU is now on the cusp of joining the U.S., Canada, and the UK in cutting off this trade.

And the same logic applies to the services ban we are announcing today. Russia has long relied on services provided by G7 countries to operate a modern economy, especially services provided by the United States and the United Kingdom, which are the dominant service providers in the world.

So today we’re banning the provision of accounting services, management consulting, marketing — all services that are used to operate multinational businesses, but also to potentially create workarounds from sanctions or to hide ill-gotten wealth. That’s why we’re shutting down these services.

We’re also announcing today that U.S. advertising dollars, broadcast technology, video cameras, microphones, equipment for sound will no longer be available to the three most watched state-owned or -controlled Russian TV stations that enable Putin’s propaganda machine.

Some of you have reported on the lies upon lies that are spread on these mouthpieces of the Kremlin, such as claiming the people of Bucha were not killed until days after Russians left the region, or that the placement of dead Ukrainian bodies was staged, or that the brave Ukrainians defending their country are actually the aggressors.

U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin

 

The United States of America and the Republic of Armenia Sign a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation 05/02/2022 The United States of America and the Republic of Armenia Sign a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation 05/02/2022 03:52 PM EDT Office of the Spokesperson Today, the United States and Armenia signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU), enabling us to deepen our strategic cooperation following on the gains made in connection with the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Dialogue. This MOU improves our cooperation on energy security and strengthens our diplomatic and economic relationship. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed for the United States, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan signed for Armenia. The United States and Armenia maintain long-standing cooperation across the breadth of our relationship, including in the fields of security, energy, commerce, and nonproliferation.  Deepening our cooperation in civil nuclear energy, science, and technology will strengthen our strategic bilateral relationship, and have wide-ranging, positive impacts on how we work together. Nuclear Cooperation MOUs are diplomatic mechanisms that strengthen and expand strategic ties between the United States and a partner country by providing a framework for cooperation and a mutually aligned approach to nonproliferation on civil nuclear issues and for engagement between experts from government, industry, national laboratories, and academic institutions. Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan 05/02/2022 Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan 05/02/2022 03:43 PM EDT

The Doughboy Foundation,update

 

May 2022

May 17 Webinar will discuss key lessons from WWI than can help the world avoid WWIII Please join us for this timely online event on May 17 with leading WWI historians and experts exploring how an understanding of WWI might help us avoid slipping into a larger and more devastating world conflict. The panel includes: Sir Hew Strachan; Dr. Jennifer D. Keene; Dr. Libby H. O'Connell; and Attila Szalay-Berzeviczy, Hungarian economist and author of the recently published "In the Centennial Footsteps of the Great War: From Sarajevo to Versailles". The webinar is being held as a fundraiser supporting humanitarian efforts as a result of the war in Ukraine, in cooperation with the Hungarian Embassy in the US. We will solicit donations during the event and pass them to the Hungarian American Cultural Foundation, Inc. at the request of the Hungarian Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Szabolcs Takács. Click here to read more about this upcoming webinar, and learn how to register for this virtual event. Ukraine and World War I Apropos the upcoming webinar noted above, an article on the National World War I Museum and Memorial web site discusses using WWI as a lens through which to view the war in Ukraine. "As I sit here watching the Russian war against Ukraine," writes historian Michael Neiberg , "I am more convinced than ever that 1914 has a great deal to teach us. Indeed, it might provide the best guide we have to where we are now and where we might go in the future." Click here to read more about the "more frightening echoes of 1914 that we must listen for even as we hope that they will never come to pass."

ΕUROPEAN PARLIAMENT's update

Ευρωπαϊκό
Κοινοβούλιο

Video of another event - Europe Day Brussels Hemicycle – Opening and debate on the Future of Europe - Saturday, 7 May 2022 - 10:31

07/05/2022
Length of video : 87'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Video of another event - Europe Day Brussels Hemicycle – Opening and debate on the Future of Europe - Saturday, 7 May 2022 - 10:31

07/05/2022

Length of video : 87'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.

Answer to a written question - Humanitarian aid to Afghanistan - E-000350/2022(ASW)

06/05/2022

See question(s) : E-000350/2022

Answer to a written question - Water stress caused by agriculture in Huelva - E-001107/2022(ASW)

06/05/2022

See question(s) : E-001107/2022

Answer to a written question - Scientific reports on limiting bottom trawling - E-001059/2022(ASW)

06/05/2022

See question(s) : E-001059/2022

Παρουσιάστηκε το πρόγραμμα Ψηφιακού Μετασχηματισμού της Νέας Δημοκρατίας

Αθήνα, 7 Μαΐου 2022

Παρουσιάστηκε το πρόγραμμα Ψηφιακού Μετασχηματισμού
της Νέας Δημοκρατίας



Παρουσία του Προέδρου της Νέας Δημοκρατίας και Πρωθυπουργού Κυριάκου Μητσοτάκη παρουσιάστηκε, στο πλαίσιο των εργασιών του 14ου Τακτικού Συνεδρίου, το πρόγραμμα Ψηφιακού Μετασχηματισμού της Νέας Δημοκρατίας. Την παρουσίαση έκανε ο Αντιπρόεδρος της ΟΝΝΕΔ Κώστας Μαμουλής, ενώ για τη φιλοσοφία του project μίλησε το μέλος της Πολιτικής Επιτροπής Ελπιδοφόρος Παπανικολόπουλος.

Στόχος είναι η Νέα Δημοκρατία να γίνει ένα ακόμη πιο σύγχρονο κόμμα, το οποίο θα βρίσκεται διαρκώς και έμπρακτα δίπλα στα μέλη του και σε κάθε πολίτη. Ενισχύεται με αυτό τον τρόπο η συμμετοχικότητα και η ψηφιακή δημοκρατία, καθιστώντας τη Νέα Δημοκρατία ένα πρότυπο Ευρωπαϊκό κόμμα. Έτσι, το πρόγραμμα του ψηφιακού μετασχηματισμού εντάσσονται έργα που θα περιλαμβάνονται σε τρεις πυλώνες:Η αναβάθμιση της εμπειρίας των μελών
Οι ψηφιακές λειτουργικές διαδικασίες
Η εξέλιξη του μοντέλου λειτουργίας


Τους επόμενους μήνες θα παρουσιαστεί η εφαρμογή για κινητά MyND, η WebTV του κόμματος, καθώς και η ψηφιακή ακαδημία και η δημιουργία συστήματος ερευνών με στόχο την ενίσχυση του Κυβερνητικού έργου.
Υπενθυμίζεται ότι τα τελευταία χρόνια η Νέα Δημοκρατία προχώρησε σε εμβληματικές παρεμβάσεις για τον εκσυγχρονισμό της, οι οποίες θα αποτελέσουν τον κορμό του προγράμματος για τον ολοκληρωμένο ψηφιακό μετασχηματισμό της. Ανάμεσα σε αυτά ήταν η δημιουργία ηλεκτρονικού μητρώου μελών, η αλλαγή λογισμικών συστημάτων, η μετάβαση των τεχνολογικών υποδομών στο cloud, το σύστημα διαχείρισης ανθρώπινου δυναμικού. Παράλληλα, τα δύο τελευταία συνέδρια είχαν έντονα ψηφιακά στοιχεία, οι εσωκομματικές εκλογές πραγματοποιήθηκαν υβριδικά και υλοποιήθηκε η πλατφόρμα prosvasis.nd.gr η οποία προσβάσιμη για άτομα με ειδικές ανάγκες.

Προκειμένου η λειτουργία της να είναι απόλυτα σύμφωνη με τις πιο σύγχρονες νομικές προδιαγραφές, κατά την έναρξη των εργασιών της δεύτερης ημέρας του συνεδρίου η Νέα Δημοκρατία επικαιροποίησε στο καταστατικό της, αποτελώντας πλέον το πρώτο κόμμα στην Ελλάδα που λειτουργεί με άξονα ένα ψηφιακό μέλλον.



Κατεβάστε την παρουσίαση εδώ.

Hong Kong: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the Chief Executive election held on 8 May

 

Press material Sunday 8 May 2022   ● Council of the EU   08/05/2022 10:36 | Press release | Hong Kong: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the Chief Executive election held on 8 May   Hong Kong’s Election Committee has selected John Lee Ka-chiu, the sole candidate to the post of Chief Executive on 8 May 2022. This was the first selection process since the imposition of the National Security Law and the implementation of sweeping changes in Hong Kong’s electoral system. Preceding his selection, Lee was vetted by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, and nominated by 786 of the 1461 members of the revamped Election Committee. The number of voters to the Election Committee was substantially reduced by the electoral overhaul, weakening the already limited democratic elements in the governance of Hong Kong, running counter to the commitments to greater representation enshrined in the Basic Law. The European Union regrets this violation of democratic principles and political pluralism and sees this selection process as yet another step in the dismantling of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle. The European Union attaches great importance to the preservation of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy as well as respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including media freedom, democratic principles and the rule of law, in line with the Basic Law and with international commitments. The EU calls on Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to abide by their national and international commitments, notably the ultimate aim of electing the Chief Executive and members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage.